Wayne County under tornado warning

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— A tornado warning is in effect for Wayne County and people there should take cover.

WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said the storm was moving about 35 miles per hour. The warning remains in effect until 6:45 p.m. Tuesday. Residents should take cover inside an interior room on the first floor of their home if possible.

The warning had been issued for Johnston and Sampson but those areas were removed from the warning as the system moves eastward. From Goldsboro to points east is where the threat is highest, Maze said at 6:07 p.m.

The storms moving through central North Carolina are part of the same system that brought tornadoes and heavy rain to Dallas, Arkansas and Oklahoma earlier in the week.

The National Weather Service did reduce the severe weather warning from a Level 2 threat to a Level 1 risk.

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Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said more rain and storms could start moving into the region by 2 p.m., peaking around 5 or 6 p.m.

“It gets worse for us as we get into the afternoon,” Gardner said. “That’s when we’ll have a better chance of some of those stronger thunderstorms.”

Those going to the State Fair on Tuesday may want to leave after lunchtime, Gardner said.

Fair officials said they transmit any weather warnings through loudspeakers and will usher people to safe places on the fairgrounds.

Threats for severe weather on Tuesday

By 8 p.m., any severe weather should be moving out of the area.

The severe weather could bring 50 to 60 mph winds to the region — strong enough to bring down branches and small trees. An isolated tornado is possible, but that threat is slim, Gardner said. Flooding should not be an issue.

Mid-Atlantic Radar

Behind the storms is a cold front that will bring much cooler air to the region on Wednesday. Overnight, temperatures will be chilly, in the upper 40s, and Wednesday’s high is only 67 degrees in Raleigh.

Wednesday and Thursday will both be dry days for fairgoers.

A chance for rain returns for Friday and the weekend, but the timing of the rain isn’t certain, Gardner said.

7-Day Forecast